After the victory over Man United to qualify for the League Cup semi-finals, Tottenham Hotspur was quickly brought back to the harsh reality. The 3-6 loss to Liverpool not only left pain but also pushed Tottenham down to 11th place in the Premier League rankings and 8 points behind the Top 4.
Ange Postecoglou's team is facing harsh challenges when having to compete continuously on many fronts. Long-term injuries to key players such as Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Guglielmo Vicario have left their squad vulnerable. Notably, the recent defeat was also the third consecutive home match in which Spurs conceded at least 3 goals.
The match against Liverpool showed a serious imbalance in Tottenham's playing style. As they tried to push up their formation to find an equalizer, Liverpool repeatedly responded with sharp counter-attacks. Both goals from Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke came from individual efforts, but this risky approach allowed the opponent to exploit major gaps in the "Rooster" defense system.
Tottenham have brought eye-catching matches this season. They beat the big boys like Man City and Man United, and also had impressive wins over Aston Villa and West Ham. However, losses to underdogs like Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace, combined with chaotic defeats to Chelsea and Liverpool, have shown Spurs' instability.
"Are you not happy? We go out there to make people happy. I love football, I love teams that are willing to give their all. However, if we continue to make things difficult for ourselves like this, success will be very difficult to come by" - Ange Postecoglou shared after the victory over Man United in the League Cup.
The playing style that the Australian strategist built prioritizes entertainment and dedication. However, while this style may please neutral viewers, it is uncertain whether Tottenham fans will feel the same way.
Since the beginning of December, Tottenham have been the team that has conceded the most goals in the Premier League with 12 goals. They also top the negative metrics such as the number of shots (85), targets (37) and created dangerous opportunities (25).
After the last 5 matches, the "Roosters" have only won 1 match and that was against Southampton - the team at the bottom of the table and fired the coach right after the match. With these results, the opportunity to improve the 5th place last season is gradually out of reach for Tottenham.
Ange Postecoglou has repeatedly emphasized the difficulties Tottenham are facing. The lack of personnel in the squad has forced him to use young and inexperienced players such as Archie Gray and Djed Spence in defense. Both have only started a total of 5 times in the Premier League before facing Liverpool's classy attack.
Radu Dragusin, a £25 million centre-back who was seen as a long-term backup, has also made a number of mistakes. In the match against Liverpool, the Romania player lost the ball in the situation that led to Dominik Szoboszlai's goal. Such individual errors highlight Tottenham's weak defensive organization.
"I know many people think I should change my approach, but I believe in the path I have chosen. We will continue to build this team in the direction we want, even though we know that we will face many difficulties" - Ange Postecoglou said after the match with Liverpool.
Despite their inconsistent form, Tottenham still receive support from fans. In the second half of the match against Liverpool, fans still cheered enthusiastically and sang the name of captain Ange Postecoglou when the home team scored 2 goals in just 10 minutes.
The return of players like Ben Davies and Mikey Moore in the upcoming period will help the 59-year-old coach have more options in the squad. However, with Van de Ven, Romero and Richarlison needing more recovery time, Tottenham may continue to rely on their current squad to face Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton and Newcastle.
